Places in Nurseries for 3 to 5 year olds and 2 year olds
In Scotland, all children aged 3 to 5 year olds are entitled to to up to 1140 hours per year of funded ELC. In Glasgow nurseries, you can access your child's funded entitlement from the Monday after their 3rd birthday.
Some 2-year olds may also be eligible for up to 1140 hours of funded ELC if they meet the eligibility criteria.
Applications to check your eligibility can be made online using the following link: Eligible two year old criteria
If your 2 year old meets the criteria for funded ELC, they can access it from the start of the first term AFTER their second birthday OR the start of the first term AFTER you start receiving any of the named benefits or tax credits within the eligibility criteria.
To apply online please go to : myaccount sign in/register
Need help with myaccount or require further information? Please email CBSEarlyYearsEligible2s@glasgow.gov.uk or telephone 0141 287 4702 (option 3) to speak to a member of the team.
Children aged 0-2 currently have no entitlement to any funded nursery hours unless they meet the eligible 2 year old criteria. This means you would need to pay for any hours in nursery yourself. If your child attends a Council nursery, in some circumstances you may be exempt from paying fees or offered a reduction in your fees. You should ask the nursery head about this.
Children due to start school in August are entitled to defer their entry to school and have another funded year in nursery if their 5th birthday will take place between the first day of term in August and the last day of February. You should speak to the head of the nursery or the childminder where you access your child’s ELC hours, to let them know you would like to defer your child’s entry to primary school.
Please refer to attached documents for further information:
- Parent Guide: Parent Guide to ELC 2022/2023
- Parent Pack: Parent Pack 2022-2023
Children who do not live in Glasgow can also access their funded ELC entitlement under the Council’s cross-boundary agreements with our neighbouring local authorities (East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire, East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde) The local authority you live in will need to approve your funded place.
If you live in a local authority area which is not part of our cross-boundary agreement, you should ask them about taking up a place in Glasgow.
More information refer to attached documents for cross-boundary funding:
- West Partnership Parents Leaflet 2022-2023: West Partnership Parents Leaflet 2022-2023
- West Partnership Cross Boundary Funding Protocol 2022-2023: West Partnership Cross Boundary Funding Protocol 2022-2023
Places are for up to 30 hours per week (1140 hours term time) and are across all of the nurseries in Glasgow. These hours can be offered in a wide variety of patterns to suit the needs of families.
If your child is offered a full day place, you can access a maximum of funded 10 hours per day / 30 funded hours per week term time (38 weeks) and 22.8 hours non term time (50 weeks) throughout the academic year.
In Glasgow, children become eligible for funding in Glasgow City Council Nurseries and Partner Nurseries as follows:
Places for Children aged 3 and 4 years
Glasgow City Council Nurseries:
from the first Monday after child's 3rd birthday.
Glasgow City Council Partner Nurseries:
Glasgow City Council resident children: Day after 3rd birthday.
Out with Glasgow City Council resident children: from the 1st Monday of following MONTH after the childs 3rd birthday. Please refer to attached West Partnership Inter Authority Parent Guide 2022/2023
Places for Children under 3
There is no entitlement to nursery places for children under 3, other than for those 2 year olds who meet the criteria set out in the Children & Young People’s Act 2014.
Glasgow City Council provides a high number of nursery places for children under 3 but these are popular and a priority criteria is used to allocate the places.
Most private nurseries and some voluntary sector groups also provide places for children under 3. Parents/carers should contact private nurseries / voluntary sector groups for further information in respect of Eligible 2 funded places.